WThe Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) was established in 1997 by the Tanzania Investment Act to be “the Primary Agency of the Government to coordinate, encourage, promote and facilitate investment in Tanzania and to advise the Government on investment policy and related matters.”

The Tanzania Investment Center (TIC) offers a package of investment benefits and incentives to both domestic and foreign investors. A minimum capital investment of $500,000 if foreign owned or $100,000 if locally owned is required.

Tanzania Investment Centre has established four zonal offices in order to assist Investors who are based in nearby regions to access TIC services without necessarily travelling to Dar es Salaam. The zonal offices are in Kilimanjaro region (Northern Zone), Mwanza (Lake Zone), Dodoma (Central Zone) and Mbeya region (Southern Highland Zone)

Tanzania Investment Centre recognizes the great role played by SMEs in building national economy. The full potential of the SMEs sector has yet to be tapped due to the existence of a number of constraints hampering its development.

A project of minimum fixed investment cost at least US$ 100,000 for projects which are wholly owned by Tanzanian Citizen(s) and US$ 500,000 for projects which are wholly owned by foreign investors or if a joint venture.

Protection of Property Rights

Access to Land

Under the Tanzania Investment Act of 1997 and the Land Act of 1999, occupation of land by non-citizen investors is restricted to lands for investment purposes. Land may be leased for up to 99 years, but the law does not allow individual Tanzanians to sell land to foreigners. There are a number of opportunities for foreigners to lease land, including through TIC, which has designated specific plots of land (a land bank) to be made available to foreign investors.

Foreign investors may also enter into joint ventures with Tanzanians, in which case the Tanzanian provides the use of the land (but retains ownership, i.e., the leasehold). The URT is currently expanding TIC's land bank, through an established land bank compensation fund, and modernize its land titling and registration system.

Intellectual Property Rights

The Fair Competition Commission (FCC) is responsive to requests for assistance from private companies and takes action against counterfeiters.

Registration of patents and trademarks is on a first-in-time, first-in-right basis, so companies should consider applying for trademark and patent protection in a quick manner. It is the responsibility of the rights' holders to register, protect, and enforce their rights where relevant, retaining their own counsel and advisors.